The class of polymers of carbon monoxide and olefins has been known for some time. Brubaker, U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,286, produced such polymers of relatively low carbon monoxide content in the presence of free radical initiators, e.g., peroxy compounds. U.K. Pat. No. 1,081,304 produced similar polymers of higher carbon monoxide content in the presence of alkylphosphine complexes of palladium salts as catalyst. Nozaki extended the process to produce linear alternating polymers by the use of arylphosphine complexes of palladium moieties and certain inert solvents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,412.
More recently, the class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon, e.g., polymers of carbon monoxide and ethylene or carbon monoxide, ethylene and propylene, has become of greater interest in part because of the greater availability of the polymers. These polymers, often referred to as polyketones or polyketone polymers, have been shown to be of the repeating formula --CO--(A)-- where A is the moiety of unsaturated hydrocarbon polymerized through the ethylenic unsaturation. For example, when the polymer is ethylene the polymer is represented by the repeating formula --CO--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --. The general process for the more recent production is illustrated by a number of published European Patent Applications including Nos. 0,121,965 and 0,181,014. The process involves the use of a catalyst composition formed from a compound of palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, arsenic or antimony.
The resulting polymers are relatively high molecular weight thermoplastics having established utility in the production of shaped articles such as containers for food and drink and internal and external parts for automotive applications, which articles are produced by processing the polyketone polymer by known methods. For some particular applications it has been found desirable to have properties which are somewhat different from those of the polyketone polymer. It would be an advantage to retain the more desirable properties of the polyketone polymer and yet improve other properties. Such advantages are often obtained by the provision of a polymer blend.